FARCY. 365 



The Treatment of Farcy. — In the very early stages of 

 this complaint, when it has been taken by inoculation, or 

 has originated in diseased extremities, — in such cases it 

 is not invariably found difficult of cure ; but when farcy 

 has suddenly broken forth without cause or warning the 

 virulence and obstinacy of the affection is hard to subdue. 

 It is almost equally difficult of cure when it enters by 

 means of the mucous membranes of the head, for in these 

 cases the stage between farcy and glanders is so short as 

 to admit of little being attempted. There is, however, 

 a pause in some cases between the taking on of the full 

 character of glanders, during which pause a treatment 

 of it judiciously exerted sometimes proves beneficial : 

 but having once assumed the full glanderous characters, 

 the case becomes hopeless. Nevertheless, we are not 

 prepared to say that it is never removed after it has 

 tainted the constitution ; but when it has propagated its 

 morbid effects to the lungs, whatever may become of 

 the farcy, the horse invariably dies of glanders. Unless 

 it be accompanied with confirmed glanders, many prac- 

 titioners consider every case of farcy as purely a local 

 affection, and their treatment is accordant with that 

 idea. It was once hoped that it might be effectually ar- 

 rested in the first instance, by simply employing topical 

 means, and that nothing more than the destruction of 

 these vessels was necessary to effect all that was desired ; 

 but, unfortunately, it is very usual in these cases for the 

 disease to reappear, and commonly in a more malignant 

 form. We would therefore recommend the student always 

 to treat it as a constitutional affection. In the acute 

 form of farcy attend first to symptoms and obviate their 

 effects ; which done, proceed to attack the disease itself. 

 Do the same by that tumefied state into which the limbs 

 sometimes fall. In the true chronic form of the disease, 

 where the superficial lymphatic vessels and glands are the 

 seat of the affection, the cure should be commenced by 

 opening every one of the farcy buds, and dressing the ex- 

 posed surface first with a solution of chloride of zinc four 

 grains to the ounce, and after the first three days further 

 diluting it to the strength of two grains to the ounce. The 

 quickest mode is to divide them with a sharp pointed knife, 

 particularly such as are directly superficial : if deeper seated, 



